U.S. patent number 4,621,377 [Application Number 06/710,995] was granted by the patent office on 1986-11-11 for helmet assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Figgie International Inc.. Invention is credited to David N. Pennell.
United States Patent |
4,621,377 |
Pennell |
November 11, 1986 |
Helmet assembly
Abstract
A helmet assembly (10) provided with either single or dual visor
mechanisms (14, 16) and low profile right and left side pivot
assembly (18, 20). A low profile visor actuating arm assembly (36,
38) is associated with each visor and the left hand pivot shaft
(46) of the left side pivot assemblies (20). Each visor actuating
arm assembly is capable of being readily manipulated by the left
hand of a pilot so that the associated visor can be moved between
fully raised and completely down positions, the visor actuating arm
assembly also cooperating with the pivot shaft (46) to positively
lock the visor in either of its fully raised or completely down
positions. A pivot hub assembly (47) is also disclosed for securing
the pivot shaft (46) to the helmet (12).
Inventors: |
Pennell; David N. (Covina,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Figgie International Inc.
(Willoughby, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
24856360 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/710,995 |
Filed: |
March 12, 1985 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/6.4; 2/10;
403/187; 2/6.5; 411/427 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B
3/228 (20130101); A42B 3/223 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A42B
3/22 (20060101); A42B 3/18 (20060101); A42B
003/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;411/432,427,396,397
;403/187 ;2/6,10 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Assistant Examiner: Falik; Andrew M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christel, Bean & Linihan
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A low profile mechanism for the retention and actuation of a
visor on an aircraft flight helmet assembly of the type having a
helmet, a first visor, and right and left side pivot means which
mount the visor on the helmet for movement between fully raised and
completely down positions, said mechanism for the retention and
actuation of the visor being incorporated in the left side pivot
means which comprises:
a pivot shaft fixed to the left side of said helmet and extending
outwardly therefrom; and
first visor actuating arm assembly means journalled on said pivot
shaft and capable of causing the first visor to be moved between
its raised and lowered positions, said first visor actuating arm
assembly means including
a visor mounting arm having a forward portion secured to the first
visor, and an intermediate opening which receives the pivot
shaft,
a manually operable slide means slidably supported by said visor
mounting arm for sliding movement between locking and unlocking
positions, said slide means being provided with an oblong opening
between its ends which receives said pivot shaft, said slide means,
when in the unlocking position capable of being rotated about said
pivot shaft to cause corresponding movement of the associated visor
mounting arm and visor to thereby move said visor between raised
and lowered positions, and said slide means, when in the locking
position, capable of locking the associated visor mounting arm and
visor from rotational movement about said pivot shaft, and
biasing means supported by said visor mounting arm and engageable
with said slide means and operable to normally bias the slide means
to its locking position.
2. The helmet assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said oblong
opening is provided with an inwardly extending detent wall.
3. The helmet assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pivot
shaft is provided with spaced apart axially extending grooves on
its peripheral surface, the inwardly extending detent wall engaging
one of said grooves when the manually operable detenting slide
means is in its locking position.
4. A low profile mechanism for the retention and actuation of a
visor on an aircraft flight helmet assembly of the type having a
helmet, a first visor, and right and left side pivot means which
mount the visor on the helmet for movement between fully raised and
completely down positions, said mechanism for the retention and
actuation of the visor being incorporated in the left side pivot
means which comprises:
a pivot shaft fixed to the left side of said helmet and extending
outwardly therefrom; and
a first visor actuating arm assembly means journalled on said pivot
shaft and capable of causing the first visor to be moved between
its raised and lowered positions, said first visor actuating arm
assembly means including
a visor mounting arm having a forward portion secured to the first
visor, and an intermediate opening which receives the pivot
shaft,
a manually operable slide means slidably supported by said visor
mounting arm for sliding movement between locking and unlocking
positions, one end of said slide means being tapered, said slide
means, when in the unlocking position capable of being rotated
about said pivot shaft to cause corresponding movement of the
associated visor mounting arm and visor to thereby move said visor
between raised and lowered positions, and said slide means, when in
the locking position, capable of locking the associated visor
mounting arm and visor from rotational movement about said pivot
shaft, and
biasing means in the form of a C-shaped resilient clip supported by
said visor mounting arm, the ends of the C-shaped resilient clip
being engageable with the tapered end of said slide means and
operable to normally bias the slide means to its locking position
away from said C-shaped resilient clip.
5. The helmet assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the C-shaped
resilient clip is disposed between said pivot shaft and the visor,
and wherein said one end of the slide means is in the forward
end.
6. The helmet assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rear end
of said slide means is provided with a thumb pad to facilitate
manipulation of said visor actuating arm assembly means.
7. A low profile mechanism for the retention and actuation of a
visor on an aircraft flight helmet assembly of the type having a
helmet, a first visor, and right and left side pivot means which
mount the visor on the helmet for movement between fully raised and
completely down positions, said mechanism for the retention and
actuation of the visor being incorporated in the left side pivot
means which comprises:
a pivot shaft fixed to the left side of said helmet and extending
outwardly therefrom; and
first visor actuating arm assembly means journalled on said pivot
shaft and capable of causing the first visor to be moved between
its raised and lowered positions, said first visor actuating arm
assembly means including
a visor mounting arm having a forward portion secured to the first
visor, a recessed radially extending slide receiving portion, and
an intermediate opening which receives the pivot shaft,
a manually operable slide means supported by said recessed slide
receiving portion for radial sliding movement between locking and
unlocking positions, said slide means, when in the unlocking
position capable of being rotated about said pivot shaft to cause
corresponding movement of the associated visor mounting arm and
visor to thereby move said visor between raised and lowered
positions, and said slide means, when in the locking position,
capable of locking the associated visor mounting arm and visor from
rotational movement about said pivot shaft, and
biasing means supported by said visor mounting arm and engageable
with said slide means and operable to normally bias the slide means
to its locking position.
8. The helmet as set forth in claim 7 wherein said visor mounting
arm is further provided with an enlarged recess forward of the
recessed slide receiving portion, said enlarged recess receiving
said biasing means.
9. The helmet assembly as set forth in claim 8 further
characterized by the provision of a cover plate adapted to close
the recessed slide receiving portion and the enlarged recess to
maintain the biasing means and the slide means in their assembled
position.
10. A low profile mechanism for the retention and actuation of a
visor on an aircraft flight helmet assembly of the type having a
helmet, a first visor, and right and left side pivot means which
amount the visor on the helmet for movement between fully raised
and completely down positions, said mechanism for the retention and
actuation of the visor being incorporated in the left side pivot
means which comprises:
a pivot shaft nonrotatably fixed to the left side of said helmet
and extending outwardly therefrom, said pivot shaft being provided
with radially spaced apart detent receiving portions; and
first visor actuating arm assembly means journalled on said pivot
shaft and capable of causing the first visor to be moved between
its raised and lowered positions, said first visor actuating arm
assembly means including
a visor mounting arm having a forward portion secured to the first
visor, and an intermediate opening which receives the pivot
shaft,
a manually operable detenting slide means slidably supported by
said visor mounting arm for sliding movement between locking and
unlocking positions, said slide means being provided with a detent
capable of being received within one of the spaced apart detent
receiving portions on the pivot shaft to positively lock the visor
mounting arm and the associated first visor in either the fully
raised or the complete down position, said slide means, when in the
unlocking position capable of being rotated about said pivot shaft
to cause corresponding movement of the associated visor mounting
arm and visor to thereby move said visor between raised and lowered
positions, and
biasing means supported by said visor mounting arm and engageable
with said slide means and operable to normally bias the slide means
to its locking position.
11. The helmet assembly as set forth in claim 10 further
characterized by the provision of a second visor movable between
raised and lowered positions, the second visor being disposed
outwardly of the first visor, said right side pivot means also
pivotally connecting the right side of the second visor to the
right side of the helmet, and said left side pivot means also
pivotally connecting the left side of the second visor to the left
side of the helmet, said left side pivot means additionally being
characterized by a second visor actuating arm assembly means
substantially identical to the first visor actuating arm assembly,
said second visor actuating arm assembly means being disposed
outwardly of said first visor actuating arm assembly means.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a helmet assembly of the
type provided with either a single or a dual visor mechanism, and
more particularly to an improved visor operating mechanism capable
of either locking visors in their fully raised or completely down
positions or of moving visors between their fully raised and
completely down positions, said mechansim having a low profile and,
when used with dual visors, being disposed entirely on the
left-hand side of the helmet.
BACKGROUND
A pilot of a contemporary aircraft wears a helmet for his
protection. Such a helmet is usually provided with at least one
visor and in many cases with two visors. A typical prior art
helmet, which employs two visors, is shown in U.S. Pat. No.
3,593,338. This general form of construction includes mechanisms
which permit the visors to be moved between their fully raised and
completely down positions. One of the mechanisms is disposed upon
the right-hand side of the helmet and the other mechanism is
disposed upon the left-hand side of the helmet. However, it has
been found that this form of construction is somewhat
disadvantageous because the control of an aircraft is nearly always
done with the right hand. Thus, the pilot cannot have complete
control of his aircraft if he has to switch hands to change visor
position. Therefore, when dual visors are to be utilized with a
helmet, it is desirable that the visor operating mechanisms be so
disposed that both mechanisms can be operated by the left hand.
A construction which permits left-hand operation of dual visors is
shown in West German Offenlegungsschrift 2736121. A principal
disadvantage of this form of design is that the operating
mechanisms extend substantially to one side of the helmet thus
increasing its side profile. It is desirable that the visor
operating mechanism have a generally low profile, or more
specifically, be located as close to the helmet surface as
possible. In addition, this device does not lock the visors to
their desired positions. It is imperative to have visors that lock
in position to reduce the risk of injury to the eyes should pilot
ejection occur. Should a visor cease being a shield for the eyes
during ejection, the force of winds encountered can cause damage if
not permanent blindness to the pilot. It is a well established fact
that wind blast will cause a visor(s) to lift from its lowered
protective position.
Another relevant patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,823. This patent
discloses a dual visor helmet having actuating handles on the
left-hand side. This patented design also does not provide for
positive detenting positions. In addition, it is difficult to mount
a visor shield in this patented design due to the actuating
mechanism being disposed between the visor and its pivot. If
further requires more parts which, in most cases, increases the
overall weight. Due to what appears to be a substantial increase in
helmet profile, this allows the possibility of parachute shroud
lines to become entangled around the mechanism's handles.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a helmet
assembly having an improved single side actuated visor operating
mechanism of low profile, of relatively low cost, of high
durability and of light weight.
In addition, it is a further object of the present invention to
provide a helmet assembly having a single side actuated visor
operating mechanism suitable for use with dual visors, the
operating mechanisms for actuating the visors all being capable of
being disposed upon the same side of the helmet and having a low
profile.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a visor
actuating arm assembly for a helmet assembly wherein the visor
actuating arm assembly can be readily manipulated by the left hand
of a pilot so that the visor can be moved between fully raised and
completely down positions, the visor actuating arm assembly also
cooperating with a pivot shaft to positively lock the visor in
either its fully raised or completely down position.
It is yet another object of the present invention to reduce the
profile of helmet visors and their actuating mechanisms so that a
visor shield, which customarily is employed to cover the visors,
will also have a lower profile. By reducing the profile of the
overall helmet, the pilot, when ejecting from an aircraft, will
have a reduced cross sectional area when he clears the windshield
during ejection, thus reducing somewhat the possibility of head and
neck injuries during ejection.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel
pivot hub assembly for securing the pivot shaft to the helmet.
In accordance with the principles of this invention, a helmet may
be provided with a first visor, or first and second visors movable
between raised and lowered positions. A right side pivot pivotally
connects the right side of the visor(s) to the right side of the
helmet. Similarly, a left side pivot assembly pivotally connects
the left side of the visor(s) to the left side of the helmet. The
left side pivot assembly includes a pivot shaft fixed to the left
side of the helmet and extending outwardly therefrom, and a visor
actuating arm assembly for each visor. Each arm assembly is
journalled about the pivot shaft and is capable of being locked to
the pivot shaft to prevent movement of the visor.
The foregoing objects and other objects and advantages of the
present invention, as well as the structure required to accomplish
the various objects and advantages of this invention, will become
more apparent after a consideration of the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which a preferred form of this invention is illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a side view of a helmet in which the principles of the
present invention have been incorporated.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the helmet illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the line
3--3 in FIG. 1 and showing inner and outer visor actuating arm
assemblies and a pivot shaft which is fixed to the helmet by means
of a pivot hub assembly.
FIG. 4 is view taken along the line 4--4 in FIG. 3 and showing the
inner visor actuating arm assembly in its raised position, this
view also showing the manually operable detenting slide of the
visor actuating arm assembly in its normal position.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing in full line the
manually operable detenting slide when moved against spring bias
from its normal position, and also showing in phantom lines the
visor actuating arm assembly in its lower position.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 6--6 in
FIG. 3 illustrating the pivot hub assembly.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 7--7 in
FIG. 2 illustrating the right side pivot assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a helmet assembly is shown, the
helmet assembly being indicated generaly at 10. The assembly 10
includes a helmet 12, movable first and second visors 14, 16, and
right side and left side pivot means or assemblies indicated
generally at 18 and 20, respectively, which pivot means mount the
visors on the helmet 12 for movement between fully raised and
completely down positions.
The helmet 12 is of a typical construction customarily worn by
aviators and therefore details of the helmet are not illustrated.
However, as is customary, the helmet 12 is provided with an inner
liner which contacts the head of the wearer, the liner not being
illustrated in these drawings.
One of the visors 14, 16 may have a clear lens 22 and the other
visor lens 22 may be suitably tinted to reduce glare. The wearer of
the helmet may wish to have both visors in their fully raised
position, shown in full lines in FIG. 1, or either one of the
visors in the completely down position, this being illustrated in
broken lines in FIG. 1 for the inner visor. Therefore, it is
necessary to provide separate actuating mechanisms for each of the
visors which will permit entirely independent movement of the
associated visor. Each of the visors 14, 16 includes, in addition
to the lens portion 22, relatively thin visor brackets 24, there
being brackets attached to both the right-hand and left-hand sides
of the associated lens portion 22. To this end, the visor brackets
24 are provided with suitable apertures through which fasteners 26
may pass, the fasteners 26 securing the brackets 24 to the lens
portion 22. The end of the brackets 24 spaced away from the lens
are provided with additional apertures through which additional
fasteners 27 may pass, these fasteners 27 in turn securing the
brackets 24 to an arm of an associated pivot assembly.
The right side pivot assembly 18 includes a combined mounting pad
and pivot post 28 (FIG. 7), the pad portion having a surface 30
which is adapted to conform to the exterior surface 32 of the
helmet 12 adjacent the mounting location. The mounting pad and
pivot post are suitably tapped, and similarly, the helmet 12 is
suitably drilled for the reception of a fastener 34 which is
utilized to secure the mounting and pivot post to the right side of
the helmet. Secured to the brackets 24 on the right-hand side of
the visors 14 and 16 are visor mounting arms, there being an inner
or first right-hand visor mounting arm 36 and an outer or second
right-hand visor mounting arm 38. Each of the visor mounting arms
36, 38 is provided with a suitable aperture which receives the
pivot post of the combined mounting pad and pivot post 28. The arms
36, 38 are suitably spaced away from each other and the mounting
pad 28 by suitable washers 40 which are preferably formed of a low
friction material such a polytetrafluoroethylene. The parts are
held together in their assembled position by a snap ring 42 which
engages another washer 44, the snap ring 42 being received in a
groove at the end of the pivot post.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the left side pivot means 20 includes a
pivot shaft 46 which is secured to the left side of the helmet by a
pivot hub assembly, indicated generally at 47. The pivot hub
assembly includes a mounting pad 48 having an enlarged central
recessed area which can receive the head 50 of the pivot shaft 46,
the head 50 being an enlarged cylindrical portion. The mounting pad
48 is provided with a central aperture which is adapted to be lined
up with a corresponding aperture in the helmet 12, a fastener 52
passing through the apertures to secure the mounting pad 48 to the
helmet 12. The pivot 46 is additionally secured to the mounting pad
48 by a screw 53 which is received within a countersunk bore in the
pivot shaft and is screwed into a tapped aperture in the fastener
52. As can best be seen from FIG. 6, the mounting pad 48 has a slot
54 running from the central aperture to the peripheral edge of the
pad. Disposed to one side of the slot 54 is a tapped aperture 56,
and, on the other side of the slot, an enlarged aperture is
disposed in alignment with the tapped aperture for the receipt of a
clamping screw 58. While not shown in FIG. 6, it can be seen that
the head 50 of the pivot shaft can be received within the recessed
area of the mounting pad and be clamped thereto in various
positions of rotational adjustment by tightening the clamping screw
58.
An anit-rotation pin 59 is press fitted through suitable apertures
in the pad 48 and helmet 12 to provide added insurance against the
possibility of the pad rotating on the helmet. The pivot shaft 46
is provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced apart axially
extending grooves 60, 62 on its peripheral surface and the
rotational position of these grooves can be adjusted by loosening
the clamping screw 58 and turning the pivot shaft 46 to the desired
position, and then by retightening the clamping screw 58.
The left side pivot means further includes inner or first and outer
or second visor actuating arm assembly means, indicated generally
at 64, 66, respectively in FIG. 3. Each of the arm assembly means
is journalled on the pivot shaft for rotational movement from the
fully raised position indicated in full lines in FIG. 5 to the
completely down position indicated in phantom in FIG. 5. Each of
the visor actuating arm assembly means includes a visor mounting
arm 68. The visor mounting arms 68 for both the inner and outer
visor actuating arm assemblies are essentially identical except
that the visor mounting arm for the outer visor actuating arm
assembly is slightly longer as can be seen from FIG. 3. Each of the
arms 68 is provided with a forward portion 70 (also shown in FIG.
1) which can receive the fasteners 27 which are utilized to secure
the left hand brackets 24 to the forward portion of the visor
mounting arms 68.
Disposed to the rear of the forward portion 70 of each visor
mounting arm is an intermediate pivot opening 72 which receives the
pivot shaft 46. The pivot opening is circular and is also
essentially of the same diameter as the diameter of the pivot shaft
46 so that the arm 68 can pivot about the shaft 46.
The surface of each of the mounting arms 68 is provided with a
recessed slide receiving portion 74 (FIG. 3) which has parallel
sidewalls. Disposed between the slide receiving portion 74 and the
forward portion 70 is an enlarged recess 76. A manually operable
detenting slide 78 is received within the recessed slide receiving
portion 74 and has a height not greater than the depth of said
slide receiving portion.
The visor actuating arm assembly further includes biasing means in
the form of a C-shaped resilient clip 80 which is received within
the enlarged recess 76, the C clip also having a height not greater
than the depth of said recess. The C clip will normally bias the
slide means 78 to its normal detenting position shown in FIG. 4. In
this connection, it should be noted that the forward end 82 of the
slide means 78 is tapered. The sides of the tapered end are engaged
by the ends of the C clip and if the slide is moved in a forward
direction towards the forward portion 70 of the arm 68 the tapered
end surface will spread apart the ends of the C clip. If the slide
means 78 is then released the resilient C clip 80 will then force
the slide means 78 from its unlocking position shown in FIG. 5 to
its locking or detenting position shown in FIG. 4. In order to
provide for such sliding movement of the slide 78, it is provided
with an oblong opening 84 which receives the pivot shaft 46. The
forward end of the oblong opening is provided with an inwardly
extending detent 86 which may engage either one of the peripherally
spaced apart grooves 60, 62 to hold the visor actuating arm
assembly means and the associated visor in one or two fixed
positions. To facilitate the operation of the manually operable
detenting slide means, a thumb pad 88 is provided at the rear end
of the slide 78.
In order to maintain the slide 78 and C clip 80 in the proper
assembled position, a cover plate 90 is provided, which cover plate
is provided with an aperture for the reception of the pivot shaft
46 and is held in place by suitable fasteners 92.
As in the right side pivot means 16, suitable low friction washers
94 are provided between the mounting pad 48 and the inner visor
actuating arm assembly means 64 and also between the inner and
outer visor actuating arm assembly means. Finally, the parts are
held in their assembled position by a snap ring 96 which is
received within a suitable groove on the pivot 46, the snap ring 96
in turn bearing against another washer 98.
As can be seen best from FIG. 3, each of the slide means 78 is of a
differing length. Thus, the slide means 78 associated with the
inner visor actuating arm assembly is longer than the slide means
78 associated with the outer visor actuating arm assembly. However,
both thumb pads and actuating mechanisms are located on the left
side of the aviator's helmet and do not project outwardly an
excessive distance. The pilot wearing the helmet assembly can
simply move a selected visor between its raised and lowered
positions by engaging the associated thumb pad 88 with the
left-hand thumb, pushing the thumb pad forward to release the
detent 86 from the associated groove 60 or 62, and then by rotating
the whole assembly until the detent 86 is essentially lined with
the other of the grooves 60, 62 whereupon the aviator can then
release the thumb pad, the C clip forcing the slide 78 to its rear
position to lock the visor in the desired final assembled
position.
It can be seen from the above that the visors can be readily
manipulated between their raised and lowered positions, and that
the design is both of a relatively simple and of a relatively
durable construction. In addition, by utilizing the above
construction, it is possible to have a relatively low profile
helmet.
* * * * *